Aside from annoying life-long Nintendo fans, the subtitle of this review serves to frame my perspective when approaching The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. I have vague memories of The Legend of Zelda on NES and A Link to the Past on SNES, and I only stomached a few hours with the Nintendo 64 Classics version of Ocarina of Time last year. Before picking up Breath of the Wild in 2024, The Legend of Zelda was largely absent from my gaming life. As Nintendo refined player movement and camera control in 3D action-adventure games in the late ‘90s, with Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time, I drifted to Sony hardware and IP like Tomb Raider and Metal Gear Solid.

I always knew Vigil Games’ Darksiders (2010) was, at least in structure, my first 3D Zelda-like experience, but only now can I genuinely appreciate how much of a homage it was. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2 is an impressive audiovisual overhaul of the remarkable progenitor with smart and impactful gameplay tweaks. It is, however, still a game with 28-year-old foundations. It was designed to introduce players to what was then an emerging genre and a novel 3D perspective, with the narrative and mechanics aimed primarily at children transitioning into teenagers (or teens to young adults). First-time players need to consider it within that context.



Regardless of your prior experience, Ocarina of Time is a perfect standalone entry as The Legend of Zelda games have entrenched the idea of cycles of emerging evil, with a prophesising princess and gallant hero rising to stand against it in each era. It begins with Link, a curious forest child and his newfound fairy Navi, sent to aid Princess Zelda in securing the “Triforce” - a wish-granting artifact - before the scheming villain Ganondorf can claim it. It’s a classic heroes vs. villains narrative but (28-year-old spoiler ahead) events don’t go to plan and Link finds himself thrust seven years into a future where Ganondorf is attempting to consolidate power and control the entire world.

Ocarina of Time is a perfect standalone entry as The Legend of Zelda games have entrenched the idea of cycles of emerging evil...

What still impresses is how Ocarina of Time merges the narrative themes with evolving gameplay. A young Zelda and Link are full of childlike wonder, optimism, and confidence that their efforts will aid their elders in standing up to a rising threat. In the future, Link and his allies must reconcile with the failings of their guardian figures and the sacrifices they need to make. Similarly, child Link explores compact, well-signposted dungeons with basic block-and-counter combat and one-pattern boss fights, whereas adult Link faces complex multi-level dungeons, tougher foes with specific strengths and weaknesses, and multi-phase boss battles with shifting attack patterns.



That said, you need to consider the age and historical significance of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time when critiquing the gameplay, as a guide from 1998 still works in 2026. It is built on dated yet pioneering designs, which can make it feel formulaic and predictable if you have played later 3D Zelda titles or the many, many games inspired by it. Dungeons function as a combination of key-hunts and gear-tutorials, with platforming or puzzle-focused rooms interspersed with obligatory combat arenas. You always loop back to central hub after unlocking new paths, and dungeons typically culminate in boss fights that rely on whatever piece gear you unlocked near the beginning.

The overworld is small by modern standards, with Hyrule field and Lake Hylia in the centre, and paths leading to Castle Town and the four surrounding regions with their respective settlements and dungeons. Traversing the area as child Link can be tedious – especially when backtracking for simple collectible-hunting NPC quests – but once you have your trusty steed “Epona” as adult Link (and more musical options for fast-travel), the connected space feels less mechanically significant. What keeps The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time so engaging compared to its modern successors is the brisk pacing, dual timelines, and a ton of musical charm involving the titular ocarina.



It is rare to spend more than 30 minutes exploring a new region or dungeon before moving on with a new story beat, a new piece of gear, a new magical ability, or a potentially useful tune for the ocarina. It also helps that despite their formulaic structure, each dungeon, mandatory or optional, has a distinct visual identity and gameplay gimmick. The Deku Tree is the perfect introduction that lays out the basics of puzzling and combat. The haunted Forest Temple feels like a twisted Resident Evil-style mansion with shifting rooms and block puzzles. The Spirit Temple is a sadly rare example that requires alternating between the child and adult timelines to complete.

The overworld is small by modern standards, with Hyrule field and Lake Hylia in the centre, and paths leading to Castle Town and the four surrounding regions with their respective settlements and dungeons.

Dungeon design was always the highlight of the original game, but the remake elevates the experience with updated visuals that improve your ability to navigate environments, the modern controls are liberating, and limited voice work adds more weight to important cutscenes. Link moves and fights like his Tears of the Kingdom counterpart. He smoothly shifts directions while running and leaps on command; the lock-on ability allows for quick blocks and dodges before counters; gear like the slingshot and bow are tied to the triggers and used in third-person to make them viable during battles; and a quick-select menu and d-pad shortcuts make managing gear a breeze.



Tears of the Kingdom might still be more technically impressive than the constrained Ocarina of Time remake, but what was once a blocky facsimile of a fantasy world with flat repeating textures and lighting now features intricate geometric details, beautiful textures, and materials that believably interact with a rapidly shifting day-night cycle to create some gorgeous vistas. The are still fade-to-black transitions between larger areas and dungeons but, in overworld zones, the world is rendered out into the distance to appear continuous. The soundtrack was always fantastic, but it now transitions smoothly as you move between zones and alternate tracks exist for day and night.

There will be older fans that love the original’s angular designs and might not gel with the overhauled visuals but, regardless of your opinion on the aesthetics, the updated control scheme make The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake infinitely more playable and that is what counts most – especially if you’re trying to introduce a new or younger audience to a classic. For veterans of the genre, there is briskly paced dungeon-delving to enjoy, even if it can feel overly familiar and formulaic. For new or younger players, for whom Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom’s busywork defines a 3D Zelda, this remake is now the definitive way to experience an influential classic.

Nintendo Switch 2 Review code provided by Nintendo | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is available at Nexus Hub for R`1,380